Calif. officers' stun gun use faces new scrutiny after federal ruling

By Sean Webby San Jose Mercury News

SAN JOSE, Calif. — An appeals court ruling this week limiting the police use of TASERs may have special importance in San Jose, where every police officer is armed with the stun gun and where their use in a series of situations has raised controversy.

In its ruling, the Ninth District U.S. Court of Appeals stated that the stun guns should only be used under limited conditions, since they represent a more serious use of force than other nonlethal police weapons.